Thracians

The Thracians were an Indo-European tribe, inhabitants of Thrace, a region to the north of ancient Greece (currently southern Bulgaria, northern Greece, European Turkey and eastern FYR Macedonia).

They spoke Thracian language. As non-Greek speakers, they were viewed as barbarians by the Greeks.

Josephus claims the founder of the Thracians was the biblical character Tiras, son of Japheth. "Thiras also called those whom he ruled over Thirasians; but the Greeks changed the name into Thracians.", AotJ I:6.

Thracian tribes

• Dacians: see List of Dacian tribes
  • Apuli - around Alba Iulia, Transylvania
  • Carps - Eastern slopes of the Carpathians
  • Costoboci - Ukraine
  • Suci - in Oltenia
• Agathyrsi
• Bisaltae
• Satrae
• Triballi

Famous Thracians

• Burebista was a king of Dacia between 70 BC-44 BC who united under his rule Thracians in a large teritory, from today's Moravia in the West, to the Bug river (Ukraine) in the East, and from Northern Carpathians to Southern Dionysopolis.

• Orpheus, in Greek legend, was the chief representative of the art of song and playing the lyre, and of great importance in the religious history of Greece.

• Spartacus was a Thracian enslaved by the Romans, who led a large slave uprising in what is now Italy in (73 - 71 B.C.). His army of escaped gladiators and slaves defeated several Roman legions in what is known as the "Third Servile War".